A decorative finish of small, overlapping circular marks applied to watch movement plates and bridges with a rotating abrasive tool.
Perlage, also called circular graining, covers a surface with small overlapping discs, each made of concentric lines. It goes mainly into the recesses of plates and bridges and onto the inner face of case backs: hollow surfaces where côtes de Genève cannot be applied. By hand, the finisher uses a sensitive drill to press a rotating peg loaded with abrasive briefly onto the part, stepping it at a regular pitch so that each imprint overlaps the one before; the evenness of that pitch decides the quality. A. Lange & Söhne describes its perlage progressing from the outside of a part to the inside. In series production, dedicated machines apply the pattern.
Perlage began with a function. Horopedia explains that its relief traps dust, keeping it out of the wheel train and escapement, from a time when cases were less water resistant; today it is mainly a mark of careful finishing.
In job listings
Perlage is a technique rather than a job title. It is done in movement finishing and decoration workshops, and the Fondation Haute Horlogerie lists it among the techniques of the watch finisher. Production roles that involve it are usually posted as finisher or decorator. See current finisher roles.
